Competition drives the decline of a dominant midstorey tree species. Habitat implications for an endangered marsupial

Abstract

Multi-species native forests are an important source of habitat for many plant and animal species. The dynamics of these forests are shaped by species-specific differences in growth, shade tolerance, life span, and other life-history traits, which lead to complex development patterns. Whether a particular forest stand is suitable habitat for a specific animal species may depend on various stand structural elements, which may vary in abundance due to stand dynamics, thereby generating temporal variability in habitat suitability. In the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia, the critically endangered Leadbeater’s possum (LBP) requires both a dense lower storey of Acacia spp. for foraging an..